Fear of Vegetables

I am hoping that none of you have a fear of eating vegetables :-) I am talking about the fear of cooking with vegetables that are not familiar. Come on now, we have all been guilty of scrolling through a recipe and if it has an ingredient that we've never used, we say "forget it!" Today, I am going to encourage some of you to move outside of your comfort zone. Today we are making Fennel and Spinach Soup with Roasted Pepper Yogurt. This soup is amazing hot, at room temperature, or chilled. It is very versatile, and it is so good for you. I would offer a prize for giving it a try, but I got a whole lots of nothing! So, the reward will be a satisfied tummy!

Fennel and Spinach Soup with Roasted Red Pepper Yogurt

Yield: 8 (3/4 cup of soup and 2 Tablespoons of yogurt) servings;

96 calories per serving

2 red bell peppers

2 large fennel bulbs with stalks

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cups chopped leek (about 2 medium)

1 cup chopped shallots (about 2 large)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

3/8 teaspoon salt

2 cups fat free low sodium chicken broth

1 cup water

1 bay leaf

4 ounces fresh spinach

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup fat free Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Dash of ground red pepper

1. Preheat broiler. Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 15 minutes or until blackened. Place in a paper bag; fold to close tightly. Let stand 10 minutes. Peel abd chop; set aside.

2. Trim tough outer leaves from fennel. Mince feathery fronds to measure 2 tablespoons; set aside. Remove and discard stalks. Cut bulbs in half lengthwise; discard core. Chop bulbs to measure aout 4 cups.

3. Chop leeks starting at the white end to measure 2 cups. Chop shallots.

4. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add fennel bulb, leek, shallots, thyme and salt; cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add broth, water, and bay leaf; bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 12 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Stir in spinach and black pepper. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes at room temperature.

5. Pour half of fennel mixture into a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid to avoid splatters. Blend until smooth. Pour into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining fennel mixture. Return pureed soup to pan; heat over medium heat 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

6. Combine roasted bell peppers, yogurt, lemon rind, lemon juice, and ground red pepper in a food processor; process until smooth.

7. Ladle about 3/4 cup soup and top with 2 tablespoon yogurt mixture. Garnish with fennel fronds.

Thursday is Saturday

My family is all together on Thursdays. It is wonderful to get to cook for more than just a somewhat thankful 4 year old who will feel free to inform me that my AWESOME gourmet burgers are "almost as good as McDonalds". Seriously.

The good news is that we had some awesome and easy food today!

Lunch:

Tomato and Basil Soup with Ricotta Dumplings

Yields ~ 2 (1.5-cup) servings; 250 calories per serving

Soup

1 tsp. basil oil or olive oil

1 garlic clove, pressed

1 can crushed tomatoes, undrained

1 ½ cups vegetable broth

¼ cup snipped fresh basil leaves

Dumplings

¼ cup part-skim ricotta cheese

2 tbsp. grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1 egg white, lightly beaten

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. coarsely ground black pepper

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

Thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

For soup, combine oil and garlic in saucepan; cook and stir over medium heat 1 -2 minutes or just until garlic begins to turn light golden brown. Immediately, add tomatoes, broth and basil. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, for dumplings, combine ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg white, salt and black pepper in a small bowl; mix well. Add flour; stir just until combined. Scoop dumpling mixture by tablespoon directly into simmering soup. Cook until dumplings float to the surface, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Ladle soup into bowls; sprinkle with thinly sliced fresh basil.

*Make sure soup is simmering when dumplings are added. Do not boil soup or the tender dumplings may break apart. Serve soup soon after cooking dumplings to maintain their texture.

Citrus Green Beans with Pine Nuts

Yield: 4 servings (1 cup each); 86 calories per serving

1 pound green beans, trimmed

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

3/4 cup diced shallots (about 2 large)

1 teaspoon grated orange rind

1 tablespoon fresh orange juice

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon coarse sea salt

1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted

1. Cook green beans in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Drain well.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add shallots; saute 2 minutes or until tender. Add green bean; stir well. Add rind, juice, pepper and salt; saute 2 minutes. Spoon onto a platter; sprinkle with nuts.

Dinner:

English Cottage Pie

Yield: 6 (2/3 cup) Servings; 288 calories per serving

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon butter, softened

Cooking spray

1 1/2 cups chopped onions

1/2 cup chopped carrot

1 (8 oz) package cremini or button mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 pound extra lean ground beef

2 tablespoons no-salt-added tomato paste

1 cup low sodium beef broth

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups mashed potatoes (can totally be from leftovers!)

3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded sharp white cheddar cheese, divided

Paprika (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Combine four and butter; stir well. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and carrot; saute 5 minutes. Add mushrooms; saute 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Removed vegetables from skillet. Add beef to pan; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in broth and pepper. Return vegetables to pan, and bring to a simmer. Stir in parsley, thyme, and salt. Add flour mixture, and cook for 1 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly.

3. Spoon meat mixture into an 8 in square glass or ceramic baking dish greased or sprayed with cooking spray, spreading evenly. Combine the potatoes and half of the cheese, spread the potato mixture evenly over the meat mixture. Top with remaining cheese and sprinkle with paprika, if desired. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until bubbly.

Ok, so I have to admit that I didn't even get to taste the dinner. I made it for my husband to take to a buddy's house for the guys and kiddos to share. Let's just say that the empty dish brought home spoke very highly of it. It was a hit with the guys and kiddos alike! I enjoyed a grilled cheese made with fresh mozzarella, fresh basil leaves, and roasted red pepper garlic and eggplant spread (from Trader Joe's). It was FANTASTIC! Maybe I'll get to try the Cottage Pie next time.

My kitchen is clean, my baby is asleep, and I'm tried. Goodnight!